This Week in Geek 03/10/10

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written post-comic-shop-visit by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which the comics he’ll be purchasing and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Make sure and post your comments below.

I finally received the run of Black Panther 2 #1-#12 I won on eBay for $20 and was thrilled to find them in perfect condition. They didn’t ship very quickly, but sometimes receiving the comics in the condition they were described in is worth the wait. I’ve only read up to issue #6, but I’m really enjoying it so far. I decided to pick up this run after reading and enjoying Doom War #1 and am glad I did. I wasn’t a fan of Reginald Hudlin’s last Black Panther series but this latest one was really underrated. I’ll be starting Johnathan Maberry’s run tonight and I’m really looking forward to it. If you can find this short run I’d recommend picking it up; Black Panther 2 is great stuff.

As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve moved from talking about what I’m going to buy/read to what I have bought/read. Let me know what you think of the short comic reviews. Below you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Make sure and post your own weekly stack of comics below so I can make fun of what you’re reading and vice-versa. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Thoughts on the Stack:

Cable #24

Batman and Robin #10

Cable #24: Last issues of good comics are always tough. I’m going to miss Cable—or perhaps writer Duane Swierczynski’s Cable (I finally spelled his name correctly on the first try)— but understand why the series is going and I agree, this story did not need to be this long. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Cable was not cancelled but is just ending, which is not something you see happening to a series very often. The usual plan is to run a series into the ground before canceling it, sometimes in mid-story. Swierzy (his Twitter name and much easier to type) had a story to tell and then it’s on to his next project. I really like the way this guy tells stories and am excited to see where the Second Coming story goes from here. Now, before you start yelling at me: yes, I know there is another issue before Cable ends, but issue #25 is titled Deadpool and Cable #25 (or the “Hey, you kids love Deadpool, right? Well here he is in this comic, too!” issue) and I find it hard to care. I don’t hate Deadpool, but you have to admit Marvel is cramming the Merc with a Mouth down our throats right now. I’m picking it up, even though when I file this one in the master collection, the title change is going to challenge my OCD on many levels. As far as I’m concerned, Cable ends here.

Batman and Robin #10: The return of Bruce Wayne begins here and, well I guess I’m excited. I mean, we all knew this was coming. Bruce couldn’t stay dead forever—or even as long as Captain America, for that matter—but I guess he never “died” in the first place. I’m not going into the story here because just thinking about it makes my head spin, but ultimately, Bruce was lost in time. Now Bruce is leaving clues for Dick and Damian as to what happened to him. As it turns out, there’s all manner of secret passages and caves in and under the 200-year-old Wayne Manor that we hadn’t ever known about. Which is fun, and the art has improved considerably. I like Cameron Stewert, but a Bat-title is just not the right place for him. This looks like it’s going to be a good read as long as writer Grant Morrison can keep his lunacy reigned in enough for us to understand what’s happening.

Daytipper #4

Ghost Projekt #1

Justice League Rise and Fall Special

Daytipper #4: Daytripper is the best title I’ve read from Vertigo in years. That’s not to say I don’t like other Vertigo titles, because I do, but Daytripper stands above the others. The book is beautiful in both art and writing and a welcome respite from the constant barrage of Superhero comics I read. I wish I knew creators Gabriel Ba or Fabio Moon well enough to convince them to design a tattoo for me. Needless to say, I love their art.

Ghost Projekt #1: It’s been a while since I’ve seen artist Steve Rolston’s work and I almost forgot how much I loved his pencils. Rolston isn’t reinventing comic art, but his style is instantly recognizable without being obtrusive and always solid. Which makes him perfect for a story about missing biological weapons in Russia. Ghost Projekt feels like reading a storyboard for a Paul Greengrass film. If you dig good international-creepy-spy/intrigue stories with a touch of detective work, Ghost Projekt is for you. I predict this one gets green-lit for a movie in less than a year.

Justice League Rise and Fall Special: I was hesitant in buying this one, as I’ve been burned on plenty of DC “special” issues of late. But I found Rise and Fall to be a good read that left me a little more excited for writer J.T. Krul’s Green Arrow run. I love Ollie Queen and would be thrilled to read and enjoy a monthly Green Arrow title again after at least a year of mediocrity. As far as the story goes, without spoiling anything here, it’s controversial yes, but I’m in. One note of confusion here: Rise and Fall was originally solicited as being written by James Robinson and J.T. Krul, the issue shows up without Robinson’s name anywhere on it. Weird right? Not that I’m complaining, Robinson’s JLA hasn’t exactly been required reading so far.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

Once again, Marvel and DC seem to be mirroring themselves in their post-crossover-events. After Blackest Night Ends at DC comes the Brightest Day event which will be sweeping through all the DCU titles. Meanwhile, over at Marvel, fans will get “The Heroic Age,” which will put the heroes back in control of the Marvel U. So which are you more excited for; the Brightest Day or the Heroic Age?

Signing Off . . .

Convention season is almost upon us again and I planning on attending a couple at least. More if I can convince my WorthPoint Overlords to buy me some plane tickets. Right now I’m gearing up for C2E2 in Chicago in early April. If you’re planning in going I’d love to meet up and do some convention shopping. Shoot me an email if you’re interested. In the meantime you can follow me on Twitter where I’m still hosting Read Along with Matt, search #readwithmatt for updates, and yes I’ll be finishing the Barry Windsor Smith Conan Archives #1 this week. And then pricing and possibly buying some original BWS Conan art.

Until next time true believers . . .

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This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Also, feel free to post your comments in the new “comments” section below, or you can follow him on Twitter, where he is always screaming about something nerd-related. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your comics in the “Ask A Worthologist” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers even though he would graciously accept them.